Likud MK Tally Gotliv: Hostage families' actions are weapons for Hamas

Likud MK Tally Gotliv, known for her controversial comments in the Knesset, told families of hostages held by the terrorist organization Hamas on Wednesday that their political activism, calling for a hostage deal, is providing "a weapon for Hamas."

Speaking on the Knesset stage, she told fellow MKs, "I want to say here to the members of the Knesset and their lack of responsibility to Israeli society, the entire State of Israel, and the hostages...Do you not have the courage to  tell this to the hostage families?"

She told the plenum that the Knesset members must tell hostage families to "be quiet," claiming that a potential deal with Hamas is being pushed off further and further the more they call for a deal "now."

"We don't have any deal on the table here, when everyone here dares to shout 'now', 'deal now'. Every shout from an MK - 'deal now' - pushes the deal away."

The terms of the reported month-long Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal

Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, multiple news outlets reported throughout the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington, and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages - starting with civilians and ending with soldiers - in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.

The Israeli Center and Left have been pushing for a short ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, at least, and at most, a broad ceasefire deal altogether. The Israeli Right has been opposed across the board, prioritizing the dismantling of Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and the possibility of rescuing hostages in a tight IDF operation.

Gotliv, an outspoken opposer to any ceasefire, turned to the hostage families, who were sitting in on the Knesset discussion, and said, "Dear hostage families, we are in an existential war and I am telling you that the Israeli government is doing everything in its power to bring back the hostages. The shouts of 'now, now,' the outbursts during the Knesset meetings, these are weapons for Hamas, fuel for Hamas.

"This is what is really hindering the advancement of the deal to release the hostages," she concluded amid broad cries in protest.